Show TAFT TAKES ISSUE WITH BUDGET QUESTION Will Ignore Provision in Supply Bill Forbidding Use of System ATTACKS FORMER METHODS Directs Heads of Departments to Make Estimates in inForm inForm inForm Form He Favors g ERI Y Mass s If Sept 19 19 President B BEVERLY dent Tuft Taft tonight made public a aletter aletter letter ett r to Secretary of the tho Treasury ur MacVeagh l taking open issue with Congress Congress Congress Con Con- gress on tho tiro quest question Ion of or a federal ra budget and directing all heads reads of government government gov gov- departments department or 01 Independent officers of oC time the government to make mako their theil estimates of revenue re and o expenditures for tor time the fiscal year in conformity conform conform- It ity with tho time bu budget g t plan The Time Presidents President's ent's letter better to Mr lr MacVeagh Mac Mac- MacVeagh said ald that the lie clause In one o of the bug big supply bills passed b by Congress in n the closing hours of the last session lon practically forbidding the II use o of a budget budget budget bud bud- get system la Is unconstitutional The letter Jetter to 10 Mr lr MacVeagh In part follows If Ie tho the President is to assume re responsibility pon for either cither tho the mannel manner manner man man- ner nel In which hu business of or the gover government gov sov- er anent Is transacted or I r results obtained oh It Is Js evident that he cannot cannot can can- not nut be bc limited by Congress s to such Information nt as that branch may Continued on Page PaJe 7 Column 1 1 I I f WT DIRECTS USE OF BUDGET SYSTEM fill ill I Ignore g na Provision in in Supply B Bill Which He Holds to Be Unconstitutional Continued From Page Pace Pa e One sufficient for tor his opinion It Is entirely competent com com- p n 1 my tent for lor the President to sub flub It it to Congress and to tho the coun coun- ry y a st statement of ot resources ob- ob revenues expenditures estimates in the form torm he neS nd Seems eeme advisable And this power to exercise I propose ne Barred Is the tho only The United States teat eat country country- that floes does not have budget Each year tho ConTess Con Con- has been making Increasing Increasing- f largo large appropriations based on 7 which are submitted by officers acting In the capacity of ot aKen agents ts to Congress uner un- un under uner un un- der er a law which t makes no pro provi- lode Ions whatever for executive re review review re- re view leW and revision This I have ha ought nought In n a a. measure to correct by asking the heads of ot departments Co send lend estimates to me before o they are printed but the condl- condl Klont Ions lons attach attached d by Congress have to make executive rc- rc been such as Impossible legal directions as aso Bine The present Ita uti estimates mate are aro based on the theory theory the- the o II lory that there Is no need n ed to take ory lock ock before passing on lions that It Is not n necessary to Consider revenues or treasury re- re Congress has directed ith th executive officer to submit lit an estimate through h the secretary made to torYe torye K If the treasury who IB is rYe In tho the capacity of ot an official lenger without an any dl discretion whatever unless a department head for to a a. request ar ay fall prepare Appropriations In the tho he form pre pre- d by Co Congress press ress In which event the secretary of or the treasury u as Imposed upon him the duty to an estimate for tor him Congress ha has created certain committees on appropriations that thatto to have V nn power fr r to review and a ne revile requests of ot the department beds aids Even In Its own ion on however Congress has hag failed o make mako provision for tor considering and estimates for In relation to rove rove- les es IT Surplus Financing Authority Is granted for the tho ex- ex million of ot a thousand dollars altars each year without any thought as to where the money Is 18 cowing coming from This is done on the will be no deficit de de- theory that there Congress Congress has been hat has been called surplus fi- fi While the constitution likes ekes Congress responsible for money noney raisins raising as well veil as for tor appropriations ap ap- rap ria responsibility ty for tor x has been shifted to the President resident by empowering him to loans to meet deficits Inase inase In Inease ase ease a may result The g great oat question of or a nation nation- 11 I 1 expediency which Is raised by bye bythe the e action of or Congress above c re- re to Is wo we or 01 shall c hava national a tc budget I 1 Inot 1 not question l the constitutional tight fight of oC Congress IH to prescribe the manner In which reports of or c 0 and und estimates estimate shall shan be submitted to It by department of- of fleors I do question the practical Ucal wisdom of ot continuing to operate op- op ferate erate the tho government under niney nine nine- y ty ty statutes passed At r ninety different times which proscribe pro- pro scribe 00 different forms torms of ot pre- pre sparing an and submitting financial its to Congress and the public public- data data which when prepared have o igno 1110 element of uniformity or standrd standard stand- stand rd ard and cannot be bo used to present ho ate to officers or the people an accurate ate ato picture of or activities pertaining ot any one ono subject or the government government govern govern- ment as a whole Will Submit Proposal f t have gone thus at length In Hating tating my position in order that ou au may understand the reasons or r urging that you ou operate co-operate Un M the tho commission on ou economy ant ind efficiency in tho the preparation ot ft f. f such lIuch financial statements ts and maries as will enable me to lace Place before belor Con Congress ress and the country for the first time In our history a Q clearly slated and un- un lIke business proposal pro pro- osal which will enable Con Congress ress ind d the country to think In terms PI f what it is 18 that tho the government i IB s II doing what hat It is that tat tho the adi nd- nd i proposes to do With IMi hla accomplished the tho people may moy Pen he hben Judge jude for themselves cs whether JOB be e the proposals sent Rent to Congress arc are aren n no tho Interest of or public welfare d 4 a aa as such should be supported Under tho the constitution the Present Pres- Pres ent nt Is entrusted with Ith the exeC exeC- live YO power and Is la responsible for tor forwe we t to acts of ot heads of ot departments d a II their subordinates as his Heats and ho he can use uso them to as- as lit st t him in his constitutional duty du- du ty U. U one ono of ot which Is li to recommend aures ures to Congress and to adhe adlie ad- ad lie he It as to the tho existing condland condl- condl ens and their betterment If Ie Congress Is permitted to ash aso as- as hat o 0 exclusive Jurisdiction over overn h at I the tho President resident may seek to toI n I card 1 tl about the business trans trans- ted elt by the departments If It ConJ Con- Con ConUs Contis J Us fa Is lIS to say that the President 11 1 not find out what In Is the pres- pres 1 t manner of ot doing business hat bat t results arc are being obtained hat It Is 18 that officers for which ho he Is responsible propose to do and what amounts are arc being asked for tor future futuro expenditures expenditure 1 ir it heads of ot departments are arc to be considered purely as the ministerial agents of or Congress In the preparation and submission n of ot estimates estimate then flow as far r as the tho business of ot th the a government govern o ment Is concerned the tho President ent of ot the United States IR is shorn of ot most Important executive power and dut duty |